Internal-combustion engine



Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,597

I. W. SEWARD INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 22, 1926 4Sheets-Sheet 1 mi. I

INVENTOR Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648Q597 l. W. SEWARD INTERNAL COMBUSTI 0NENGINE Filed July 22, 192.6 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 22.- 26 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNE SE5 INVENTOR1%, llz beward.

ATTORNEYS -%WITNESSES Nov. 8, 192 7. 1,648,597

I. w. SEWARD INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 22,, 1926 4Sheets-Sheet 4 TEEi'E.

78 f2 INVENTOR Z il lyewai'd.

ATTORNEYS Patented, Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRA WARREN SEWARD, 0F JOPLIN, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN TWENTY-FDURTHSTO IRA W. SEWABD, SEVEN TWENTY-FOURTHS T0 LOU F. BALLARD, SEVEN TWEN-TY-FOUBTHS 'IO JAMES C. WILLIAMS, AN D THREE TWENTY-FOURTHS TO HI-WANIDA CURREY, ALL OF JOPLIN, MISSOURI.

INTERN AL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed July 22,

This invention relates to internal c0mbustion engines and moreparticularly to'twocycle engines of this type.

An object of the invention is to secure a means of motive power,successful and hi hly eflicient in operation, yet with so ew parts andof such simple and light construction and such close dimensions overall, that the completed machine, set up and ready for use, may becarried in the arms of an adult. However, this same principle and enginemay be successfully carried out in an engine of any size. Thepeculiarity of the design is chiefly in the means provided for thecompression of gases and the application of the combustion principle toa cylinder .or piston assembly, which closely resembles the type in usein the modern steam engine.

A further ob'ect is to provide an engine of this character in which theexplosions take place outside of the cylinders in tube connecting thebottom of one cylinder to the top of the other. The combustion occurringin the tube keeps the heat out of the cylinder. The tube containing noworking parts will better stand the high temperature.

With these and otherobjects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out inthe claims. In the accompanying 'drawings- Figure l is a top plan viewof my improved engine;

fFigure 2 is a view 0 Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section on theline 33 of Figure 1, this view distorted in order to show the twoexhaust valves at the top of the cylinders as well as in side elevationtherethe arrangement of valves at the lower endsof the cylinders;

Figure 4 is a view in verical longltudinal section on the staggered line4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view in horizontal section on the line 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a view in horizontal section on the line 66 of Figure 2.

1926. Serial No. 124,205.

1 represents the base block of my improved engine which supports a pairof cyl-' lnders 2, 2, and, as these cylinders are shown in verticalposition, the description hereinafter shall refer to the parts asindicatedon the drawings, but it is of course to be understood that I donot limit myself to the exact position of the cylinders as this may bevaried, if desired.

3 represents a crank case in which a crank shaft 4 is mounted, and 5 isa flywheel on the shaft 4.

The cylinders 2, 2 have pistons 6, 6 respectively mounted therein, andthese pistons have secured thereto rigid piston rods 7 and 7respectively projected through the base 1 and suitably packed bystufling boxes 8; and the lower ends of these rods 7, 7 are connected tocross heads 9 mounted in guides 10, and said crossheads are connected bylinks 11 with crank arms 12 on the crank shaft 4:.

In the base 1 fuel inlet ports 13 and 14 are provided for the receptionof the cylinders 2, 2, and these ports are controlled by spring pressedchec valves 15, 15, respectively. These valves may be operated eithermechanically or automatically. Fuel outlet ports 16 and 17 are providedin the base 1 communicating with the cylinders 2, 2, respectively, andthese parts are controlled by spring pressed check valves 18 and 18',respectively.

The check valves 15, 15' open by suction upwardly and are closed by.thedownward pressure of gas in the lower portion of the cylinder when thepistons move downwardly. The valves 18, 18 close upwardly and are openedby the downward pressure of gas in the lower portion of the cylinder dueto the downward movement of the pistons.

In the top of each cylinder 2, 2' I provide inlet ports 19, 19 Figure 6,respectively, and I connect the inlet port 19 of the cylinder 2 with theoutlet port 17 of the cylinder 2' by a pipe 20. I also connect the inletport 19' of cylinder 2 with the outlet port 16 of cylinder 2 by means ofa pipe 21.

In these pipes 20 and 21 adjacent the ports 16 and 17 respectively, Ilocate spark plugs 22 to ignite the charge in the pipes, as will morefully hereinafter appear.

At the upper ends of the cylinders 2, 2 I provide'exhaust valves23 and23, these valves being normally held in closed position by springs 24and opened. through the action of pivoted levers 25 connected by rods 26with eccentrics 27 on the crank shaft 4. 28 represents a carbureter orother source of fuel or gas supply, and thiscarbureter or other sourceof supply is connected by a pipe 29, Fi ure 5, with ducts 30communicating with t e respective inlet ports 13 and 14. The exhaustfrom the engine may be' disposed of in any suitable manner and I havemerely shown outlet pipes 31 communicating with the respective exhaustports 32, 32 in the respective cylinders 2, 2.

Assuming the parts to be in the position ing out live gases throughvalve 18 into tube 21 and forcing out dead gases through port 19, asshown in Figure 4, into the top of cylinder 2' and out of exhaust port23, piston 6 in its upward stroke forcing out the dead gases in cylinder2 through exhaust valve 23.

When piston 6 and piston .6 reach the center of their travel exhaustvalve 23 closes and compression starts in tube 20. When piston 6 andpiston 6 reach the end of their stroke, outlet valve 18 leading intotube 21 closes and intake valve 15 closes also. Qompression now iscomplete in tube 20, piston 6. at the top of the stroke and piston 6 atthe bottom of the stroke, spark plug 22 ignites live gases in tube 20,and explos on takes place against piston 6 by passing through port 19.

Piston 6 is now moving downward followed by an explosion from tube 20,and piston 6 is moving up'ward. Exhaust valve 23 opens and intake valve15 opens; live gases from the carburetor entering through valve the deadgases in cylinder 2 through exhaustvalve 23.

When pistons 6 and 6' reach the center of their travel, exhaust valve 23closes and compression starts in tube 21; When pistons 6 and 6' reachthe end of their stroke,

which provides a passageway from pipe 20 into cylinder 2 is always openas is also the similar port provided in cylinder 2. It

is of course to be understood that the pistons 6, 6 are always moving inopposite directions so that the fuel which is admitted to the ports 13and 14 is drawn into the respective cylinders on-the upward strokes ofthe pistons andis forced from said cylin ders through the ports 16 and17, respectively, and the pipes '20 and 21, respectively, into the upperends of the respective cylinders. Therefore, it will 'be noted that thedown stroke of one piston serves to force a charge into the upper end ofthe other piston,-and this incoming charge assists in driving out theexploded gases, the valves in the base 1 being so arranged that they areautomatically operated by the movements of the pistons, the inlet valvesbeing opened by suction and closed by ressure, and the valves 18, 18'being close by Suetion and opened by pressure.

It will be noted that there is absolutely no combustion whatever in thelower ends of either cylinder but the lower portions of the cylinders,in effect, constitute pumps for sucking in the fuel charge and forcingit into the pipes 20 and 21 and into the upper ends ofthe cylinders tobe exploded.

' I wouldcall particular attention to the fact that the explosion takesplace in the pipes outside of the cylinders, and as there are no workingparts in the pipes they will attain, without injury, a high temperature.This, in turn, permits a more complete burning of the gases and allcarbon is consumed in the pipes'b'y heat. A low temperature in thecylinder permits a better lubrication.

There are no carbon deposit-s in the cylinders and the cylindersthemselves will outwear and outlast cylinders of ordinary internalcombustion engines.

Attention is also called to the rigid piston rods at the lower ends ofthe cylinders which prevent any side slap in'the cylinders proper.

The use of the tubes permits the use of kerosene, distillate and crudeoils for fuel, and it has been demonstrated that natural gas can beemployed, in which case, of course, the carbureter will be dispensedwith.

The arrangement of tubes and the construction of the upper ends of thecylinders retard the impulse'of the combustion in passing through thetubes into-the cylinder. I claim that this is an advantage rat-her thana disadvantage as the piston reaches a point where the angle of theconnecting rod or crank shaft is in better position to receive the fullexpansion of the charge. Furthermore, this arrangement assists in thecompression of live gases preparatory to the combustion thereof.

The direction of operation of the crank shaft may be reversed by turningthe exhaust valve eccentric over to a different position, or any otherreverse mechanism may be of course utilized. My invention does awayaltogether with the use of timing gears and provldes an extremelycompact, light yet very eflicient motor in which the speed ispractically unlimited, and all movement of the piston is utilized eitherfor driving power or for compression so that there is no move inopposite directions, a pair 0 ports in the outer end of each cylinder,an exhaust valve controlled by the operation of the shaft andcontrolling one of said lastmentioned ports, inlet and exhaust ports atthe inner end of each of said cylinders, check valves controlling saidlast-mentioned ports, means for supplying fuel to the inlet ports, pipesconnecting the inlet ports with an outlet port in the outer end of theadjacent cylinder, and spark plugs in said pipes.

2. An engine of the character described, comprising a pair of cylinders,pistons in the cylinders, a crank shaft operatively connected to thepistons whereby the pistons move in opposite directions, apair 0 portsin the outer end of each cylinder, an exhaust valve controlled by theoperation of the shaft and controlling one of said last-mentioned ports,inlet and exhaust ports at the inner end of each of said cylinders,check valves controlling said last mentioned ports, means for supplyingfuel to the inlet ports, pipes connecting the inletports with an outletport in the outer end of the adjacent cylinder, and spark plugs in saidpipes, said last-mentioned pipes spaced fro-m the walls of the cylinderwhereby the heat of combustion. of the cylinder is reduced to a minimum.

3. An engine of the character described, comprising a pair of cylinders,pistons in the cylinders, a crank shaft operatively connected to thepistons whereby the pistons move in opposite directions, a pairof portsin the outer end of each cylinder, an exhaust valve controlled by theoperation of the shaft and controlling one of said last-mentioned ports,inlet and exhaust ports at the inner end of each of said cylinders,check valves controlling said last-mentioned ports, means for supplyingfuel to the inlet ports, pipes connecting the inlet ports with an outletport in the outer end of the adjacent cylinder, spark plugs in saidpipes, and. a partition in the outer end of each cylinder separating theports in said-end;

4. An engine of the character described, comprising a pair of cylinders,pistons in the cylinders, a crank shaft 0 eratively connected to thepistons where y the istons move in opposite directions, a pair 0 orts inthe outer end of each cylinder, an e aust valve controlled by theoperation of the shaft and controlling one of said last-mentioned ports,inlet and exhaust ports at the innerend of each of said cylinders, checkvalves controlling said last-mentioned ports, means for supplying fuelto the inlet ports, ipes connecting the inlet orts with an outet port inthe outer en of the adjacent cylinder, and spark plugs in said pipes,said spark plugs located in the pipes at a point adjacent the inner endsof the cylinders.

5. An engine of the character described, comprising a pair of cylinders,pistons in the cylinders, a crank shaft operatively connected to thepistons whereb the pistons move in opposite directions, in ct portscommunicating with one end of each cylinder, outlet ports in the sameends of the cylinders, 'pi s connecting the outlet .ports of the cyliner withthe' inlet (ports at the opposite end of the other cylin er,valve controlled exhaust ports in said cylinders, valves controlling thefirst mentioned ports and operated by suction and pressure due to themovement of the piston, and means for exploding the fuel in said pipes.

6. An engine of the character described, comprising a pair of cylinders,pipes connectlng outlet ports in one end of each 0. linder with inletports in the other end 0 the other e linder, means for admitting fuel toone on of each cylinder, and means for exploding the fuel charge outsideof the cyliners.

7. An engine .of the character described, including cylinders, pistonsin the cylinders, means for admitting fuel to one end of each cylinder,and pipes connecting the fuel inlet ends of each cylinder with theopposite ends of the adjacent cylinders, said means constituting anexplosion chamber.

8. An engine of the character described, including cylinders, pistons inthe cylinders, means for admitting fuel to one end of eachcylinder, ipesconnecting the fuel inlet ends of the cylinders with the opposite endsof adjacent cylinders, said means constituting an explosion chamber,valves operated by the movement of the pistons for controlling the flowof fuel, and exhaust valves in the cylinders operated by the engine.

9'. An internal combustion engine, comprising a base, a pair ofcylinders on the base, said base having inlet and outlet portscommunicating with the lower ends of the cylinders, valves in saidports, pistons in said cylinders, the operation of which controls themovements of the valves, said cylinders having inlet and exhaust portsin their upper ends, exhaust valves controlling said exhaust ports,pipes connecting the outlet ports of the base with the inlet'ports atthe upper ends of the adjacent cylinders, and spark plugs in said pipesfor exploding the 'fuel charge therein.

10. In an internal combustion engine of the two-cycle type, thecombination with pairs of cylinders, and pistons in said cylinders, ofpipes connecting the lower ends of the respective cylinders with theupper ends of the other cylinders, means for admitting a fuel charge atone end of each cylinder, and valves controlled by the movement of thepiston whereby compression is had in one end of the cylinder andexploded gases admitted to the other end of the cylinder, the explosiontaking place outside of the cylinder.

IRA WARREN SEWARD.

